Polk County Veterans Affairs seeks $2.057 million; officials say 1% cut won’t reduce services
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Summary
Polk County Veterans Affairs requested $2,057,000 for 2026, saying it achieved a required 1% reduction (about $18,000) through line-item cuts and that veteran services would be preserved; County Administrator Frank recommended the budget as presented.
Pat Sweeney, executive director of Polk County Veterans Affairs, told the Board of Supervisors the office’s current budget is $2,027,000 and the 2026 request is $2,057,000 after meeting the county’s required 1% reduction. Sweeney said the department identified about $18,000 in operational savings and emphasized that core services for veterans would not be affected by those cuts.
Sweeney described how most revenue for the office comes from the county, supplemented by roughly $10,000 in fee revenue and private donations from groups such as the American Legion and local charitable donors. He said donations help fund outreach efforts, including a grant-funded bus wrap used at last year’s fair to promote services.
The director highlighted operational changes that he credited with improving service delivery: adding a general assistant/case manager last year to free veteran service officers to focus on federal claims work, and expanding jail visits by a dedicated veteran service officer. He also praised the River case-management system adopted with IT support, saying it improved scheduling, document tracking and continuity of care for clients.
Sweeney recounted extended federal claims work that can stretch over months or years, citing a Vietnam veteran whose file dates to 2015 and another case that required multiple meetings across half a year. He described ongoing outreach initiatives including a monthly food pantry and a Meals on Wheels partnership that currently serves 20 veterans out of a reported 81; private funders cover many of the remaining veteran meals.
For longer-term projects, Sweeney listed community priorities such as continuing Honor Flight efforts and pursuing relocation of a World War I monument (he estimated relocation costs at about $100,000), with Laurel Hill Cemetery proposed as a potential site.
County Administrator Frank told the board Sweeney’s office complied with the 1% reduction without sacrificing veteran services and recommended the Veterans Affairs budget as presented. No formal vote was taken at the hearing.
The board did not take a final action during the session; the county administrator said he would present comprehensive budget recommendations at a later presentation of the full county budget.